New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Sweet Red’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Fisnics Sweet Red’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; medium growth habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; dark green-colored foliage; and medium to large, rounded, light pink and red bi-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Sweet Red.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisnics Sweet Red’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany and Moncarapacho, Portugal. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new medium-sized Impatiens cultivars with an early to medium flowering response and large rounded flowers with attractive coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 1998 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Alexis, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/765,324, abandoned, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number K98-4090-11, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisnics Sweet Red was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in April, 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Moncarapacho, Portugal, since July, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fisnics Sweet Red’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fisnics Sweet Red’ as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; medium         growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.     -   4. Medium to large, rounded, light pink and red bi-colored         flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Alexis. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from the plants of the Alexis in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger and more vigorous         than plants of the Alexis.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger and lighter         green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Alexis.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Alexis differed         in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were shorter and denser than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens were slightly lighter         green in color than leaves of plants of the male parent         selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the male parent selection         differed in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Neptis, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,321. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Neptis in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were shorter than plants of the         cultivar Neptis.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens were narrower and         darker green in color than leaves of plants of the cultivar         Neptis.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Neptis.     -   4. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Neptis differed         slightly in flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisnics Sweet Red’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Fisnics Sweet Red has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, under commercial production practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Rooted young plants were planted in 12-cm containers in late February and the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were taken about 11 weeks later in early May. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 18 to 22° C. and night temperatures were about 16 to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Sweet     Red. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Alexis, disclosed             in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/765,324.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Impatiens             hawkeri identified as code number K98-4090-11, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 10 days at 24° C.             Winter: About 12 to 15 days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 15 days at             24° C. Winter: About 18 to 20 days at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching;             158D to 179D in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Outwardly spreading and uniformly             mounded plant growth habit; medium growth habit; freely             branching habit; bushy appearance; freely flowering.             Moderately vigorous.         -   Crop time.—From a rooted cutting, about 9 to 10 weeks are             required to produce finished flowering plants in 12-cm             containers.         -   Plant height.—About 20.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 to 45 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About 9 to 11. Length:             About 16 to 18 cm. Diameter: About 6 to 7 mm. Internode             length: About 5 to 7 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             185A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Primarily in whorls.             Length: About 13.5 to 14.5 cm. Width: About 4.5 to 5 cm.             Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Base: Acute.             Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture: Smooth,             occasionally somewhat rugose; glabrous. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 139A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 185B to 185C. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 139A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface:             Purple, 185B to 185C, and green, 138A, marbled. Venation,             upper surface: 53C. Venation, lower surface: 187B. Petiole:             Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: 53C to 53D. Color,             lower surface: 185A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single, medium to large,             rounded, light pink and red bi-colored flowers. Freely and             continuously flowering; usually about 7 to 9 flowers and             flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above and             beyond the foliage; flowers typically face parallel to the             leaf canopy. Petals not persistent; gynoecium persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 8 to 9 days on the             plant.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions.             Plants begin flowering about 9 to 9.5 weeks after planting.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 50A.         -   Flower length.—About 6.3 to 6.5 cm.         -   Flower width.—About 6.3 to 6.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner             petals: About 2.4 to 2.6 cm. Lateral and base petals: About             3 cm. Width: Banner petal: About 4 to 4.5 cm. Lateral and             base petals: About 3.5 to 4.5 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:             Weakly lobed. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect:             Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth; satiny. Color: When opening,             upper surface: 46C. When opening, lower surface: 50A to 50B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Ground color, 56C; banner             petals, towards base and central stripes on lateral and base             petals, 46C. Fully opened, lower surface: 50B.         -   Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 4.8 to 5.2 cm.             Diameter: At apex: About 0.5 mm. At flower: About 2 to 3 mm.             Aspect: Curved. Color: Towards base, 53D; towards apex,             144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 to 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Color: 144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused             at anthers, hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About 5             to 6 mm. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: 8D; spot, 52B.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 8D. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 5 to 6 mm.             Stigma color: Close to 53A. Style color: 53A. Ovary:             Five-celled. Ovary color: 187A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens. -   Low temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been     observed to tolerate night temperatures of 5° C. with 10° C. day     temperatures. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Sweet Red’, as illustrated and described. 